Floor-pocket receptacle and plug.



F. J. RUSSELL. FLOOR POCKET REOEPTACLE AND PLUG.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, 1907. 904,898.

Patented Nov. 24. 1908.

R 5 N6 5 Z d w m 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

F. J. RUSSELL. FLOOR POUKET RBCEPTAULE AND PLUG. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, 1907.

904,898. Patented Nov. 24. E908. 2 SHEETS-SHf-13T A? 5' A? /&

WITYVES I [NWENTOR y; m fimxi 0'1 fiwweiil B Y 1' UNITED FRANK J. RUSSELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FLOOR-POCKET BECEPTACLE AND PLUG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.-

Application flled June 7, 1907. Serial No. 377,82

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. RUSSELL, a citizen of the United States, residin at New York city, in the county of New ork and ,State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Floor- Pocket Receptacles and Plugs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that type of elec- 111C211 receptacles and plugs embodied in electrical fittings of the character commonly known as floor pocket receptacles and plugs, which class of fittings are particularly employed as floor fittings for theater stages thermore, means are and like places where it is desirable to run extension circuits for various purposes from a distributing point on the floor.- To this end the invention contemplates a simple, strong, and thoroughly practical construction of floor pocket receptacle and plug designed to be seated flush in the floor of a stage, or other location, and embodying a novel arrangement of receptacle and plug members wherein the receptacle member is efi'ectually protected and shielded, and accumulations of dirt or trash prevented from reaching the same. Furthermore, the invention provides means whereby the accumulations of dirt and trash arecaused to be discharged outside of the floor box containing the receptacle and plug members, and furrovidcd for not only thus protecting 0r shielding the-receptacle member, but also for positively and accurately guiding the plug contacts into contactin relation with the parts of the receptac e member. In this connection, the invention has in view a novel shield for the receptacle member which performs the several functions of an insulated dirt protector for the receptacle member, a deflector for the dirt or trash, and a guide for compelling the plug contacts to move into proper engagement with the receptacle contacts.

it l-further object of the invention is to pro.-

-v'i'de a novel arrangement of parts whereby the plug is prevented from being inserted more than one way into the receptacle memher, and also whereby the plug, after being started into the receptacle member, is carried fully home by the closing of the box cover.

W'ith these and many other objects in view, which will readily appea r as the nature of the invention is better understood. the same consists ill the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein- 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig,

after more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.-

The essential features of the invention are necessarily susceptible to a varietyof structural modifications without departing from the scope of the invention, but a preferred embodiment thereofis shown in the accompanying'drawings, in which Flgure l is a pers ective vlew of a floor pocket receptacle ant plug embodying the present invention, and showing the plug in position within the box. Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectional view of the fitting. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a reduced sectional view on the line 5 is a detail in perspective of the deta able plug. Like references designate corresponding parts in the several figures of 'the drawings. The invention includes in its organization a floor box designated in its entirety by the numeral 1 and of a general rectangular form. This floor'box is surrounded at its top edge by the usual outturned securing flange adapted to receive the screws or equivalent fasteners for securing the box flush within an opening provided in the floor designed for its reception.

In connection with theronstruction of the floor box 1, a distinctive feature of the invention resides in dividing the interior of thebox into separate compartments which may be designated as the front compartment 3 and rear compartment 4, designed respectively for the reception therein of the receptacle and plug members of the fitting. The division 6r separation of the interior of the box body into the front and rear compartments 3 and 4 is preferably accomplished through the employment of what may be termed an inside shield board 5 preferably consisting oi a sheet or board of hard fiber or other insulating material. The said inside shield board 5 is set obliquely or at an angle to the floor line of the fitting and is preferably detachably secured ih'position by wing screwed or otherwise removably fastened, as at o, to the upper and lower inclined supporting flanges 7 and 8 projecting inwardly within the box body, respectively from the top and bottom portions tin-roof, asmay be plainly seen from Fig. 2 ol' the drawings.

In addition to the inside inclined shiel board 5, the top of the floor box 1 is provided with an inclined front wall 5) which .is

1 preferably in downwardly convergent in relation to the said shield board 5 and thereby shapes the front plug ci'nupartuicnt 5", of the box into the form of a chute having at the lower end thereof, in the bottom portion of the box body, a bottom clean-out opening l through which dirt, trash. or other foreign matter 1S discharged and thereby prevented from re Inaining within the floor box, and thereby clogging or otherwise inteetering with the proper connection oi the electrical parts of the fitting.

The door box 1 is further provided at the upper side of the front plug comi 'iartment with a top opening ll adapted to be covered and uncovered by the top box cover 1.2. The said cover l2 has a. suitable hinge mountingat one edge as at 12-3, on the top portion of the box body. and when closed adapted to lie flush with said box body, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Further more. at its free or swinging edge the box cover 1 stormed with a clearance notch 14 matcinng a corresponding notch 14. in the upper edge of the box body, and forming therewith an butlet openingfor the extension cable or wire VI having electrical conncct-ion with lhe plug member to be prcsently referred to.

The rear compartuuait t of the door box accommodates therein that part of the litting which may be termed the receptacle member com 'n'isin r in its make-up a porcelain, slate, or equivalent supporting base 15. and the separate receptacle contacts 16 mounted on the inner side of said base and held in alinement with the guiding openings 17 provided in the inside shield board-5, each of said receptacle contacts 16 being associated with one of the guiding openings 17. The supporting base of the receptacle member is arranged at an inclination, parallelism to the shield board 5 and is screwed or otherwise. detachably fastened, as at 18, upon the inner sides of the rear inclined supporting flanges 19 provided on the back wall of the box body, thus providing an a rrangemeut which holds the receptacle contacts '16 also at an inclination to the floor line oflhe titling.

Various kinds of i'ece1, tacle contacts may be utilized in carrying out the present invention, but a preferable construction is shown in the accompanying drawings which illustrates each element 16 (termed a receptacle contact), as being in the form of a spring socket consisting of a pair of spaced parallel spring contact plates 20 provided with overlapping base flanges 2] rigidly held together and to the supporting base 15 by the fastening screws 22 mounted in said supporting base. Also, the overlapping base flanges 21 of the spring contact plates 26 of each receptacle contact preferably have arranged thereon the binding plate or str ses equivalent device providing means for connecting; the service \vire lern'iii'ial to the receptacle contact, all of which will be well understood by those familiar with electrical fittings of this general character.

with the receptacle member above 'dc scribed, there is associated the removable plug nicniber to which are connected the extension or other circuit. wires adapted to rarry currentfrom the receptacle. The said plug member includes as the principal parts thereof, the base piece 24: of fiber or other insulating material, and a pair of plug contact blades and :26, respectively So cured upon opposite sides of the base piece 24 and 'ireferably of different widths, corresponding to the dillerent widths of the separate guiding openings 17 in the shield" board 5 so as to compel the insertion of the plug;- in only one way into the receptacle, although other expedients may be employed for accon'uilishing the same result.

in addition to the fastening means for sccuring the opposite parallel plug contact. blades on the base piece 2%, each of said contact blades is preferably equipped With a binding screw 27 for theconnection of the wire terminal therewith, as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and to provide for elfecting a strong connection between the wire lerminalsand the contacts of the plug member, the base piece 24 is preferably formed at one end with a tapering Wiring head 28 pierced with a pair of reversely inclining wire openings 2-9 through which the separate wire terminals are respectively-threaded, as may also be seen from Fig. 2 of the drawings.

To complete the construction of the plug member, the base piece and the Wired parts are housed in an outside cylindrical cover 30 of fiber or other insulating material. This shell or cover also constitutes the hand piece for handling the plu In the practical use of the fitting, one of 'the desirable features thereof resides in the construction which permits the plug, after being started into the receptacle contacts, to be forced entirely home and against the shield board 5 by the closing down of the main box cover 12. This action is illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing", showing in dotted lines the plug partly inserted and resting at one end against the inclined front wall 9 so that when the cover is forced down on the plug by the operators foot or hand, the plug is compelled to slip fully into the receptacle member and also into alinement therewith.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction ma be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the. advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. In an electrical fitting of the class described, a floor box rovided at the top with a hinged'cover, sai (box be also provided with ean"inelined fr ont we. areceptacle member arranged at an inclination within face of said front wall, whereby the forcible closing down of the cover automatically slides the plug to,an operative osition.

2. In an electrical fitting, a inside shield board dividing the box into separate compartments, areceptacle member arranged within one of the compartments at one side. of the shield board, and a plug member en aging the rece tacle member and arranged For insertion t rough the other compartment at the si'de of the shield board opposite the receptacle member. I i

8. In an electrical fitting, the combination with receptacle and plug members, of a floor box having separate compartments, respectively for said separatemembers and provided with a clean-out opening at the bottom ,of the front compartment. I

4. In an electrlcal fitting, the combination with receptacle and plug members, said plug.

member detachabl engaging the receptacle member, of a floor ox having an inside insu- "lating shield board dividing the box into separate compartments respectively accomfmodating said separate members, said floor box being further provided with a bottom clean-out opening at the front side of said board.

5. In an electrical'ifitting, a floor box havment, and a cor box, an.

ing an inclined shield board arrangedtherein at an inclination and dividing the box into separate com artments, a receptacle member set at an inc ination within one compartpiug member en aging the re- "oeptacle mem r and arrange or insertion throu h the other of said compartments.

6. l n an electrical fitting, a floor box having an inside insulating shield board provided with idin openings therein and arranged to divide t e mterior of the box into arranged within one of said compartments and having contacts opposite the openings in a plug member arranged within the other of said compartthe shield board, an

ments and having plug contacts adapted to be inserted throu b said guidin into engagement with the receptac e contacts.

7. In an electrical fitting, a floor box having an inside shield board provided with guiding openings of different sizes and arranged to divide the interior of the box into separate compartments, a receptacle member arranged within one of said compartments, and a plug member arranged in the other of said compartments and having contact blades of dilierentsi'zes corresponding to the complemental o enings in the shield board, said contact bla es being insertible-through said guiding openings and detachably engaging the receptacle member,

In testimony whereof I hereunto ,afiix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

HELEN M.

openings 50 separate compartments, a receptacle member 

